Russian-Made Drone Found in Türkiye’s Izmit Amid Black Sea Tensions

A Russian-made Orlan-10 drone was found damaged in Izmit, Türkiye, prompting an investigation. The incident follows another drone shot down earlier in the week, amid rising tensions in the Black Sea and recent attacks on ships near Ukraine, with President Erdogan warning against the area becoming a zone of confrontation.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), believed to be of Russian origin, was discovered in the Cubuklubala neighborhood of the Izmit district in Türkiye’s northwestern Kocaeli province, according to a statement released by the Turkish Interior Ministry on Friday. The ministry assessed the drone to be an Orlan-10 model, a type of UAV commonly used for reconnaissance and surveillance missions. Authorities indicated that the drone had sustained damage in the crash, and an official investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is currently underway.

The discovery comes shortly after Türkiye shot down a separate drone on Monday, which reportedly “lost control” while approaching Turkish airspace from the Black Sea. This sequence of events has raised concerns about airspace security in the region, as tensions remain high due to ongoing military activities in the area.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly cautioned against the Black Sea becoming a “zone of confrontation” between Russia and Ukraine, highlighting the risks posed by recent attacks on maritime traffic. Just last week, a Turkish vessel was damaged in a Russian airstrike near the Ukrainian port city of Odessa. The strike occurred only hours after Erdogan held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a summit in Turkmenistan, underscoring the fragile security situation in the region.

The Turkish government continues to monitor the situation closely, emphasizing the importance of protecting national airspace and maintaining regional stability. The recent drone incidents serve as a reminder of the ongoing military tensions in the Black Sea, where both Russian and Ukrainian forces have increased operations in recent weeks, including strikes on commercial and civilian maritime targets. The Orlan-10 drone found in Kocaeli adds to the growing list of security challenges facing Türkiye as it seeks to balance vigilance and diplomacy in a volatile regional environment.